Mistletoe Memories
By Rikky
The Granger-Weasley family were gathered around a large, over-decorated Christmas tree. The parents lying on the carpet hugging, smiled as their two young children pilled on top of them.
"Mommy, Daddy, tell us about the Christmas story with the girl, Hermione and the boy George." The oldest child said, who was no older than three.
*
Hermione Granger walked through The Weasley's Wizard Wheezes as swiftly as she could manage, and still remain upright. The store was a joke shop owned by one of her best friends, George and his twin, Fred. The idea to magically elongated came to George, in a dream he claimed.
Hermione had previously thought it a clever idea, but know was wishing it was of normal size range. On a normal day, hurrying through the store would take at least five minutes. Today, Hermione was weighted down by at least half her mass in packages and parcels. All of her concentration not spent on remaining upright was devoted to holding her packages, and keeping her hair and clothing out of her way. It was all she could do to silently pray that she could avoid a collision that day.
She was not as lucky as one could have hoped.
Sighing she bent to retrieve her packages, but thinking better she first rose to see her casualty. Seeing it was, her esteemed flying instructer who saved her life, by allowing her to pass the NEWTS (nastily exhausting Wizarding tests) flying test. Noting the broad grin on his face, she felt a similar grin spread across her own. Tucking her hair behind her ears in one expeditious motion, she began her greeting.
"George! Who would have thought. I don't suppose you could conjure me a pram? They don't even let the head girl use her wand on vacations!"
"Of course," George said already waving his wand. "Geez, never let anyone forget that your head girl huh?"
"Ha, Ha"
"So, I never thought you'd set foot in my store, let alone actually buy something. But I think, they're not for you?" He asked, gesturing to her red and green packages.
"Ooh, I always knew you were a smart one!" Hermione said, only a hint of sarcasm in her voice. Though it was true she suspected George of being smarter than he let on. It was a well kept secret that he got almost as many NEWTS as Percy. Fred broke the Weasley family record for the lowest number of NEWTS.
"I suppose their Christmas presents," George said, ginning even broader. "But isn't it a little late to be starting, especially for you? I mean it is Christmas tomorrow."
"Oh I'm not starting. I've had my list three months. Would you like to see it. It's detailed."
"No thanks- I'll take your word for it. So... whadja get me?" George said, holding open the entrance to The Leaky Cauldron.
"Aww, you'll have to wait and see!" Hermione said mysteriously, and winked at him.
Now George was shocked. He'd only been kidding. Sure Hermione was one of his best friends, and he thought more of her than anyone. He'd still never exchanged presents with anyone in his life. By the looks of it Hermione did. He'd gotten her a gift, of course. Hermione meant more to him than anyone else, but he'd planned on giving it anonymously so's not to embarrass her, for the gift coupled with the fact she hadn't gotten him one. It seemed that George would be taking credit for this after all. 'Thank god Hermione's muggle born,' He sighed and stpped into the flames of the Leaky Cauldron.
*
Every Weasley, Hermione and Harry sat in the Weasley's living room, each engrossed in some trivial matter. The woman and the girls were passing around cookies. Ron and Harry were arguing in rapid "quidditch lingo", a secret language the twins could be seen wishing they knew. So the twins began their own conversation, which appeared much more animated, though Hermione knew it was done only out of spite. Percy sat alone on a couch writing some report on international wizarding cooperation, obviously thoroughly put out his boss hadn't allowed him to come to work today. The three eldest males were deep in an argument about the present Wizarding Economy status, and whether or not it was the ministry's fault.
Finally everyone had refreshments, so Mrs. Weasley told them it was time to open the presents. After a small argument over who would go first, they decided on the usual youngest to oldest policy, and Ginny grabbed her first gift. Throwing wrapping everywhere she smiled when she saw the present she'd been given. A small bracelet from Harry.
"Thanks Harry," She said and went to give him a small kiss on the cheek. She knew it was just a friendly gift. Ron opened his gift, and then Harry opened his.
"Aww, it's only a quill," Harry said holding up a lurid purple quill.
"OOH, who's it from?" Hermione asked obviously loving the quill.
"Just someone- Annie Larthing," Harry read the card, then turned red. Another admirer. "here take it Mio. I've got enough quills thanks." Hermione took the feather, knowing just why Harry didn't want it.
"Harry- have another go- that doesn't count," Mrs. Weasley said soothingly. So Harry opened another gift.
"Oh, socks from Dobby. I'll give them to Dumbledor, as a joke..." And now it was Hermione's turn, grinning she grabbed the first present she touched. Tearing off and brushing away all wrapping, Hermione stared at the gift. It was a necklace. The pendant was a human figure, with no arms. In their palce were glimmering wings. Three pronged wings, that shimmered evwery color, when moved through the light. But if held in dim light they were simply white.
"Wow, it's beautiful." Hermione looked up to see George looking at her anxiously, and Ginny and Mrs. Weasley casting meaningful looks between one another.
"Do you like it?" George asked apprehensively.
"Of course, like I said it's beautiful." Hermione stood up, and gave George a hug and a small peck on the cheek. Ginny's look at her mother became even more intense. Everyone stood up to leave, then Hermione said,
"Wait, there's one more." She pulled a square box from underneath the tree. "It's from me to George." She handed it to George who slowly removed the red and green striped paper from the box. Seeing the white paper box, he shook it gently, and jumped startled.
"Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Joyeux Noel," The box had said. Hermione's grin broadened.
"I bewitched it to say Merry Christmas in 97 different languages."
"Bewitched what," George said and ripped off the wrapping. He jumped for a second time, but he wasn't alone, as something red flew out. It settled on George's shoulder, and continued to chant holiday greetings. George picked it off and held it in front of his face. It was a man, dressed in a nutcracker costume riding on a broom stick. George closed it's mouth and it stopped chanting.
"When you shook it you opened its mouth," Hermione said, still grinning. "Try it's arm." Obediently George pulled its arm down, and the nutcracker smirked, opened it's mouth and spit a cream colored, and textured liquid at George who tentatively stuck out his tongue tasted the solution and broke into a grin.
"Eggnog!" George said merrily and squeezed Hermione's shoulders with one arm. "AWWWW," Fred added, and ruffled her hair. A typical Fred gesture.
All the presents were unwrapped and all the cookies eaten, Mrs. Weasley went to bake more, Mr. Weasley went to help her, and everyone else went outside to have a snowball fight. Actually Percy didn't join them, he just locked himself in his room to do more work. Not even Christmas got in his way.
They didn't have a real snowball fight but a war of people on brooms, fighting by chucking snow at one another. The goal was to get the other team to retreat through the invisible barrier that only went one way. Finally only two were left, Hermione and George, and they had abandoned their brooms to fight on the ground. After a long stretch George had Hermione leaning back over towards the barrier, threatening to tip over. At the last second, when everyone who was out was watching tensely each hoping their team would win, Hermione pulled George back over with her. Everyone groaned as Geroge toppled over on top of Hermione.
"Aww draw!"
"We should have won, if it weren't for that"
"You know we could have beaten you."
"Finite Incantatum"
All the while Hermione and George were just staring into each other's eyes fully aware that were this a book, it would be dubbed "Corny". Neither cared. Slowly they moved away from each other and stood up. The silent exchange went unnoticed by anyone except for Ginny.
Ginny gave the matter only cursory consideration because as soon as she attempted to dig deeper into the matter, she felt a hand on her arm pulling her, and Harry said, "Come on Gin, we're going to get some eggnog. The subject expelled from her mind she hurried after Harry.
*
The girls, who were tired of being stereotyped, were sent to get the eggnog. Harry was sure that had he been close enough he could have heard Hermione mutter 'sexism' under her breath.
Ginny headed straight for he glasses, but Hermione chose to get the nutcracker. The nutcracker stirred thoughts for Ginny, and she decided she'd best be up-front about them.
Handing Hermione the glasses Ginny broke in,
"What's there between you and my brother." Hermione sighed.
"Oh come on Ginny, you know perfectly well that there's nothing between Ron and I, what's there is gone and we're all over it now. Just like we all know that there's nothing between Harry and you."
"Of course there's nothing between Harry and I the great prat." It was obvious Ginny was getting worked up. "But I wasn't talking about Ron. I was talking about George!" Ginny smiled almost triumphantly, as Hermione sopped and turned, shocked.
Hermione let out a peal of nervous laughter, having barely thought out the subject herself. She could hardly convince Ginny that they were merely friends without preparation.
"Me and George. Don't be ridiculous Gin. We're no more than friends. Friends. No more. Now how about some eggnog."
Hermione turned to see the counter dripping with the drink.
"George, can you come in here a sec, we need a wand," Ginny raised her eyebrows. "I called him cause he's my friend and I was thinking about him." Ginny's brows nearly hit the ceiling. "Because you brought him up."
"Is that all I am, a wand?" Was George's opening line. Then he cleaned up the mess without question, and direct the eggnog into the glasses. "Will this thing ever empty?"
"No I bewitched it, it won't go bad either. And don't think I can solve world hunger that won't make it past you stomach before it vanishes. But it is my recipe," A grin spread across Hermione's face.
*
Christmas Dinner was a feast every bit as god as Hogwarts. If a drunken man had come up onto the street and told her Hogwarts house elves stole Mrs. Weasley recipes she would have believed him. After Dinner they all lazed around eating more sweets than they normally eat in a month, and arguing about who would get up and leave the warmth of the fire to get more.
That night, everyone decided that it should be a dress robe occasion. In Ginny's room, Hemrione dressed in a black robe, only slightly different from her school ones in that the sleeves were baggier. Ginny entered, having showered, and seeing Hermione shook her head.
"You really think that I'm going to let you wear that. No, no, no." Ginny opened her closet, revealing a vast wardrobe. Drawing out a dress, she turned to Hermione.
"Oh, no. No, no, no. I refuse to wear that in front of any person. I'd feel naked." Hermione cringed at the sight of the red dress, with a plunging neckline, no sleeves and a green trim.
"Well your not wearing that," Ginny tossed a small ball which bounced off Hermione and left her in her under garments. Hermione raised an eyebrow.
"A nuditator. Molly would kill you!"
"It's not mine. It belongs to a friend from school. He stuck it in my bag as a joke."
"He? That could be dangerous."
"Well it came in handy. Wear this or nothing. It's up to you." Ginny sat on her bed and began tapping her foot. Hermione came forward and snatched the dress. Ginny grinned and left the room for the stairs.
Hermione dressed and followed, but on the third to last step, she stopped and turned. Ginny gave her a small shove and smiled as Hermione tumbled into the living room, thankfully still on two feet. She went red, and was ready to hide, curled in the corner, but settled for a large armchair. She managed to look as diminished as possible until George came up to her and said,
"My you're looking fine tonight. Either that or someone's spiked the eggnog. Your eggnog by the way is great. Have I told you. The necklace I got you looks nice. I like what you did with your hair. Your shoes are lovely. Is that enough complements to pull you from your corner of self consciousness? 'Cause I have more." Hermione smiled and stood up.
"Maybe."
"Well, I can tell you more over this dance." Walking in a winter wonderland was playing full volume. Hermione stuck out her hand and they began to twirl around the room.
"You have so much dedication."
"George I was kidding you don't have to keep complementing me. You know this is my favorite Christmas song. It's great."
The night went by, and everyone got a little silly. Even Percy joined in, and Hermione began to believe that maybe someone had spiked the eggnog. She asked George, or maybe it was Fred, there were times that night when Hermione got them confused - a thing that hadn't happened in almost a year, since George had been her teacher, about it. Who ever it was just wiggled his eyebrows at her and said,
"What if my mother can hear this." And grinned. Hermione wasn't sure what to make of it. Around midnight, Hermione had danced with everyone a million times, and found herself again in George's arms. Fred danced by with Ginny and called,
"Hey look above you. Don't break tradition, and Ginny giggled and waggled her eyebrows at Hermione. She supposed it was supposed to be a meaningful look. Ginny of course, was under the influence of tinsel, Fred and spiked eggnog, so she didn't quite make it.
The couple looked up, knowing, dreading and wishing what they would find there. Mistletoe. There it was.
"I'm supposed to kiss you..." George said slowly blushing.
"Well go ahead now." And that he did. They parted quickly looked around, and then kissed for longer. They had just backed off from each other when the lights went on and a Molly who had regained her senses shooed them off to bed.
Hermione and George said goodnight, and both went to bed, not regretting their kiss, but still embarrassed and apprehensive of what tomorrow would bring.
*
The young children were know asleep on the adults.
"We're going to have to censor it soon, when they begin to understand," Hermione whispered to her husband, as she lovingly stroke her tow year old daughter's hair.
"And change the names," George grinned and pointed upwards. "And we're again beneath the mistletoe."
The couple had hung and kissed under every year since, as they have told the story of their first Christmas together Every year since. This year was no exception. The young couple gently maneuvered their children so they could share their kiss.
The End
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